The disproportionation of toluene involves a well known transalkylation reaction in which toluene is converted to benzene and xylene, often referred to as a Toluene Disproportionation Process or TDP, in accordance with the following reaction:Toluene Disproportionation: Toluene←→Benzene+Xylene  (1)
Mordenite is one of a number of molecular sieve catalysts useful in the transalkylation of alkylaromatic compounds. TDP mordenite catalysts generally require a sulfiding procedure to be carried out prior to their use, in order to avoid the initial high percentage of non-aromatics in the product stream. Such non-aromatics can be hard to remove from the product stream because they boil at around the same conditions as benzene.
It is desirable to increase efficiency of the toluene disproportionation process. Longer run times and fewer process shutdowns increase production efficiency and lower associated costs, and this increase in efficiency can be achieved in part by lowering operating temperatures. In view of the above, it would be desirable to have a process of conducting toluene disproportionation with lower production of non-aromatic compounds, with a catalyst with increased activity that can be operated at lower temperatures.